Tag Archives: boyfriend

It’s no accident that the movie poster for What If places good friends Wallace and Chandry at a diner.

The film is clearly trying to be the When Harry Met Sally for this generation…and does a decent job.

Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan are quirky and appealing, their friendship believable, their banter quick and smart.

She has a boyfriend (who made me laugh), and Daniel has emotional baggage — plus best friend Adam Driver of Girls who has huge energy…and is huge standing next to Daniel (which is pretty funny right there).

This is a rom-com, so there are misunderstandings, yearning, romantic postcards (in this day and age), implusive international flights, fist fights, and at least two weddings — babies, too.

For those of you following up on yesterday’s post, I played a prank on my best friend this weekend that was 30 years in the making.

She tricked me into believing that she was dating John James, star of the TV drama Dynasty, when we first met in college. We have laughed at the memory over the years, but I finally found the right moment — and resources — to give her a little payback.

Her family planned a surprise birthday party for her on Friday, and I flew in as part of the festivities. Bad weather delayed the actual party, which meant my little surprise became the appetizer.

I told her I was dating someone new — ‘John’ — but was purposely vague on details.

Then my phone rang.

The actual John James was the on the other end of the line. I had found his manager’s number, and John graciously agreed to be a part of my “wonderful, evil plot” to get back at Caroline.

John and I chatted briefly to establish our relationship, and then I passed the phone to Caroline, speaker on so I could listen to her ‘pass judgment’ on the new guy.

She soon complimented him on his ‘radio voice’ and asked if he had worked in media. He ‘fessed up to being a producer and an actor, cleverly mentioning he once performed in the musical Promises, Promises near her hometown (where their photo was taken oh-so-many years ago).

She soon realized they knew the same musical director who conducted the same show at the same theatre…Wait a minute, who did you say you were?

She believed he was the real John James quickly enough, and even thought we were dating for a moment.

Definitives are dangerous. Absolutes? An abomination. And yet I sit here, prepared to name (key the reverb)…

TheUltimate Date Movie of All Time.

Why now? Because it was on TV while I was eating lunch today. And I watched it….yet again. And cried…yet again.

And did I mention it was a baseball movie?

My friends and family will not be surprised by my choice. I often champion For Love of the Game when movie debates take a male / female, he-said / she-said turn.

What other movie has it all? Such meaty relationship “stuff” for girls (and boys) who want to spend two hours pondering love and all its highs, lows, recoveries and gut-wrenching blows? Add the story of a baseball player, poised to pitch a perfect game and perhaps say good-bye to the sport that he has lived and loved for almost two decades?

Come on.

Even if you don’t like the game, this movie will have you cheering each time he steps up to the mound. And if you don’t shed a tear or two, well —

Ricky and Lucy. Ross and Rachel. Sam and Diane. Every generation has had its seminal TV couple. But not today.

We gots all kinds of ’em!

Thanks to a really strong lineup of sitcoms — and dramas, too — the current television landscape boasts multiple couples with great chemistry, fun banter, and unconventional relationships.

Do I have favorites? You betcha! (Thanks for asking.)

Here are my 2011 Top Five TV Couples:

No. 5: Sheldon and Amy, The Big Bang Theory — Call them the ‘uncouple’. They don’t like to spend too much time together, preferring to Skype. The terms ‘girlfriend’ and ‘boyfriend’ offend their sensibilities. And the only kiss they have ever exchanged was more scientific experiment than sexual act. But their pairing has added a spark to the already smoking nerd fest that is TBBT. Long live Shamy!

No. 4: Jack and Liz, 30 Rock — We’ve all had that work colleague who is more than a friend. But in the fantastical world that is 30 Rock, Liz and Jack’s more-than-a-friendship mentor-ship blurs the lines in bizarre, often disturbing, always hilarious ways. Heck, they even got married by accident. If I had a nickel…

No. 3: Castle and Beckett, Castle — This may be a TV drama, but anyone who watches Castle knows this police procedural is sprinkled with a heavy helping of funny, thanks to Nathan Fillion’s take on its namesake. And his chemistry with Detective Beckett is as Sam and Diane as it gets on TV today. Will they? Won’t they? When? Hurry up already!

No.2: Ben and Leslie, Parks & Recreation — My favorite ‘newbie couple’ on TV today, Ben and Leslie are as positive and life affirming as those shiba inu puppies on the web cam. I love their characters separately; I love the idea of them together even more. Since the series is relatively young, I thought they’d keep us dangling like a worm on a hook in a lake in a park in Indiana. But did you see last night? “Uh oh.”

And, last but definitely not least, my choice for the absolute bestest TV couple of 2011:

No. 1: Claire and Phil, Modern Family — No couple on TV is funnier because no two actors are braver. The Dunphys’ sexual exploits alone are worth a spin-off. (Could they be more unsuccessful? How did they have three children?) This week’s episode “Bad Dog, Good Dog” — featuring a brilliant parenting role switcheroo — was yet another tour de force for Ty Burrell and Julie Bowen. They are, simply put, the very best on television today.